Chicago Sports | Information on the Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls and Other Chicago Sports Teams Chicago Sports | Information on the Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls and Other Chicago Sports Teams Aerial view of Chicago Illinois skyline with Soldier Field Chicago Sports One of the best things to do in Chicago is go to see one of the famous Chicago sports teams in action! Though all of the Chicago teams have had their highs and their lows over the years, the local fans are always behind them 100%. It's often said that Chicago fans are as loyal as they come and will faithfully support their teams no matter what the team stats may be. You don't have to be a die hard sports fan to enjoy a game in the Windy City though - and why stick to your love of just one sport? Chicago sports include baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer, horseracing, and running, so there's something for everyone, every season of the year! The Chicago Bears football team plays at the newly renovated Soldier Field . Die-hard fans bundle up in the severest of weather conditions to watch their team play, and over the years, The Chicago Bears have become one of the biggest attractions in Chicago!

Be sure to check out the Chicago Bears schedule for your chance to see "The Monsters of the Midway" in action! The Chicago Blackhawks hockey team plays at the United Center , which is the largest arena in the United States. The Chicago Bulls basketball team also plays at the United Center. The Bulls might not be winning world championships today, but they still have the best mascot in the league - Benny the Bull - and the Luvabulls dancers. Chicago Bears at Soldier Field Chicago, IL Chicago is fortunate to have two baseball teams, the north side Chicago Cubs and the south side Chicago White Sox . Locals usually strongly favor one team over the other - talking baseball in some circles is akin to talking politics or religion; the fans take their positions quite seriously! The Cubs play at the historic Wrigley Field and the White Sox play at the modern U.S. Cellular Field . The Chicago Fire soccer team plays at Soldier Field to a diverse crowd of soccer enthusiasts. Area minor league teams include the Wolves hockey team , the Kane County Cougars baseball team and the Schaumburg Flyers baseball team. These teams provide more cost-effective sporting entertainment, especially important for families.

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All offers based on availability and are subject to change without notice. A History of Winning The Chicago Cubs play with the Los Angeles Angels at Wrigley Field The last decade has seen a renaissance in professional Chicago sports. In 2005, the White Sox brought the Windy City's first World Series title home since 1917. The Bears followed up that success with a Super Bowl run in 2006, though they were defeated by Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. In 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks ended a nearly 50-year Stanley Cup Championship drought by beating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games. Even the Bulls have enjoyed a resurgence to the NBA's forefront, making their first Eastern Conference Finals since the Michael Jordan era. And while the Cubs may still be the lovable losers of the National League, their loyal fan base is as passionate and hopeful as ever. Check out our extensive inventory of Chicago sports tickets if you're hoping to experience the rekindled excitement of Chicago sports on your next vacation in Chicago.

Other Chicago Sports One of the top racetracked in NASCAR sports, with 2 races in the Nationwide Series each year, one race in the Camping World Truck Series, and home ot the GEICO 400. Chicago Machine Professional Lacrosse Team Chicago team associated with the Major League Lacrosse League, play their games at Toyota Park in Bridgeview. The 12-week regular season concludes August 10 with playoffs extending into September. Tickets to all home games are available online or by calling (312) 255-1540. Chicago Sky - Official site of the Chicago WNBA Basketball team with schedule, roster, tickets and gear. Chicago Rush - Arena Football League 1011 E. Touhy, Suite 400 Des Plaines, IL 60018 Phone: (773) 243-3434 It has been quite a seven-year run for Arena Football in Chicago.

Seven trips to the playoffs, three Central Division titles, near capacity crowds at Allstate Arena, the addition of NFL Hall-of-Famer and Chicago icon Mike Ditka to the ownership group and, of course, the Arena Bowl XX title are just some of the headlines from the first seven seasons of the Chicago Rush. Chicago Slaughter Professional Indoor Football Team 1055 W. Golf Road; Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 The Chicago Slaughter is an indoor 7 on 7 Professional Indoor Football Team. The Slaughter plays out of the new Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, IL, and is coached by ex Chicago Bear, Steve "Mongo" McMichael. Chicago Storm - Major Indoor Soccer League Chicago's professional indoor soccer team plays its home games at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. Storm offices are located at 5333 Prairie Stone Pkwy., in Hoffman Estates. For additional information on all aspects of Chicago Storm soccer including season tickets, group outings & birthday parties call 866-STORM- 81. Elgin Cricket Club Mfg/selling custom design cricket equipment wickets, bats, hard balls, batting gloves, uniforms, imports soccer balls from Pakistan-China.

Call 847-622-2407 for information. Hawthorne Race Track Horse Racing Sportsman's Park Horse Racing University of Illinois Chicago 839 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, 60608 The UIC Flames are a Division I institution competing at the highest level of competition in collegiate athletics. Our university is conveniently located just west of downtown Chicago and we host a number of different and exciting sporting events each month. Please visit our website for more information. Windy City Rollers UIC Pavilion 525 S. Racine, Chicago, IL Chicago's women's roller derby team, a member of the four-team roller derby league. The Windy City Rollers are proud members of WFTDA - Women's Flat Track Derby Association Chicago Sports | Teams In Chicago | Chicago City Guide 64 pages of buyer's tips, negotiation strategies, home inspection checklist, closing cost worksheet, 9 steps to home buying success and much more! Chicago Sports and Teams Chicago is a town of sports fans. The city has a handful of professional leagues that get fans riled up and rooting for the home team!

There are also lots of community athletic clubs, so Chicago residents can participate in the fun as well. Whether you?re watching or playing, sports are an integral part of life in Chicago. Many of Chicago's sports teams have won championships in their respective leagues. But the tables can turn from one year to the next, so you never know when a winning season will happen. Countless sports legends have called Chicago home over the years, including basketball phenom Michael Jordan. During the baseball season the town is split in two. The South Side sides with the White Sox and the North Side cozies up with the Cubs. The Cubs represent the National League and play at Wrigley Field while the White Sox roll with the American League at U.S. Cellular Field. The NFL's Chicago Bears take to the gridiron at Solider Field and the basketball arena showcases the NBA's Chicago Bulls at their home, the United Center. For hockey you can watch the NHL Blackhawks, also at the United Center, or the minor-league Chicago Wolves, who play at Allstate Arena. There are also numerous college sports teams in the area, as well as horse racing and auto races in the suburbs.

The following is a list of the major sporting attractions in the city: Sports Teams: Chicago Bears - Chicago Professional Football Team "Da Bears" are a hometown team with heart that Chicagoans support steadfastly through thick and thin. After an exciting run in the 2006-2007 season where the Bears ended up at the Super Bowl, football enthusiasts have had a taste of the glory and are pining for more. Once September rolls around, you can count on fans to religiously crowd into their respective game-watching spots every Sunday-be it a friend's living room, a sports bar or a seat in Soldier Field. The Chicago Bears are more than a professional sports team to this town. around here they're an institution that unites people from all walks of life for the love of the game. No matter what the weather is like outside-and unfortunately during football season the temps tend to fall below freezing on many occasions-you'll see groups of Chicago Bears fans tailgating in the parking lots of Soldier Field before the game all decked in orange and navy. The scene overflows with raised spirits, good friends and high hopes for the home team.

Whether the Bears have a loosing record, or are on track for winning the championship, this camaraderie is found in bars and homes throughout the city. And for a few hours out of the weekend, Bears fans hang on every yard gained and each referee call (in between sips of beer) as their team vies for the win. The Chicago Bears are special because not only is the team a well-loved pro-football club, but the fans themselves have become a recognized icon, popularized by the reoccurring "Super Fans" skit on Saturday Night Live. What started in the early 1990s as a simple sketch has seeped into mainstream Americana as the epitome of Chicago sports spectators-Bears caps and jackets, aviator sunglasses, bushy mustaches, thick Chicago accents, a beer in hand and conversation of none other than "Da Bears." Of course, the true picture of Chicago Bears devotees cannot be typecast as supporters are from around the city, suburbs and beyond. But that solidarity remains and bonds Bears fans with a pride and loyalty that is celebrated each time those lovable players take to the field with coach Lovie Smith at the helm. Chicago Bears at Soldier Field , 1410 S.

Museum Campus Drive (312) 235-7000 Chicago Bulls - Chicago Professional basketball team. No other Chicago sports team has had quite the worldwide recognition and far-reaching fan base that the Chicago Bulls has garnered in the course of their long history of basketball greats and NBA titles. Michael Jordan , probably the best-known contemporary of the sport, played for the Bulls a total of 14 years and helped them take home six championships. It was common for Jordan to lead the team in points scored and the six-foot, six-inch shooting guard became famous for his signature flying slam-dunk which later became the logo for the athlete’s line of Air Jordan basketball shoes. Jordan wasn’t the only shining star that caught the attention of fans, though, Scottie Pippen was also a legendary player who spent 12 seasons with the Chicago Bulls and got used to having his name in lights with an MVP and many All-Star awards by the time his #33 jersey was retired.

The days of Jordan and Pippen are over-a golden era followed by some rocky years where the Bulls didn't even make it to the post season-but this tough Chicago team has managed to work their way back into the forefront by building up a strong, versatile starting lineup that gives the rest of the NBA a force to be reckoned with. And, as always, Chicago maintains an extraordinary foundation of loyal supporters to root on the efforts of the newly redefined team. Assembling in local sports bars and gathering around the TV at home, Chicago basketball fans proudly don their caps and T-shirts emblazoned with the immortal red bull mascot, furrowing his brow and daring any opponent to approach the court. Of course, many lucky fans get to see the action in person at the United Center where the Chicago Bulls play their home games. Located west of the downtown Chicago Loop, the three-level arena holds almost 22,000 spectators. The regular NBA basketball season runs from early October through mid April, so check out the current schedule and get tickets to experience the Bulls first-hand. Chicago Bulls at the United Center , 1901 W.

Madison Street (312) 455-4000 Chicago Cubs - Chicago Major League Baseball Team. It's nearly impossible to mention the Chicago Cubs without an image of Wrigley Field coming to mind. As much a Chicago landmark as the Wrigley Building in downtown, the Cubs' iconic ballpark has resisted the age of modernity and high-tech jumbotron scoreboards to maintain a traditional charm and ageless appeal that has drawn Cubs fans to the north side for almost a century. With their stadium positioned in the aptly named neighborhood of Wrigleyville , the Cubs are one of Chicago's two major league teams (the White Sox being the other) that have managed to split the city's baseball fans in half. South siders have taken the Sox under their wing while the devotion of north side folks has never faltered from their Wrigley roots. Even though the team hasn't won a World Series pennant since 1908, a long list of Baseball Hall of Famers have come out of the Chicago Cubs lineup in the past hundred years and the team still maintains one of the most loyal fan bases in Chicago sports.

Whenever they win a home game the entire crowd joins in singing the ball club's catchy victory song Go Cubs Go. With such enthusiastic supporters and thousands of season ticket holders, actually going to the game can be tough. No worries though, just head over to one of the many designated Cubs bars near the stadium in Wrigleyville to watch the innings with fellow fans. The cheering in these pubs can seem as loud as if you were at Wrigley Field and the added bonus-beer prices are a lot cheaper! The other option, if you've already tried to get Chicago Cubs tickets for inside the stadium to no avail, is to get seats outside the friendly confines in the unique rooftop bleachers that offer spectators a completely different Wrigley experience. Situated high up on the top of Wrigleyville townhouses, these seats provide just as good a view as the park's outfield stands. And guests still get the hotdogs and beverages that go hand-in-hand with baseball because the lofty patios are equipped with large grills and stocked bars, so you won' t even have to fight the hordes at the concessions. Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field , 1060 W.

Addison Street (773) 404-CUBS Chicago White Sox - Chicago Major League Baseball Team In Chicago, there are two ways your baseball loyalties can go: north or south. For the most part Cubs fans reside on the north side and Sox fans live in the southern stretches of the city. This divide makes for a heated rivalry between Chicagoans when it comes to their preferred ball club-a rivalry that culminates every year at the Crosstown Classic where the Chicago White Sox play the Chicago Cubs. You can bet emotions run high on that faithful day as the two teams duke it out (for honor more than anything) and fans take every heckle and cheer personally-oftentimes making the event the wildest and rowdiest of the entire season. A word from the wise: there's an elevated chance of being dowsed with beer (or other beverages) during this series, so don't be surprised when the "showers" start. When they are in town, the White Sox play at U.S. Cellular Field, situated in the Bridgeport neighborhood on Chicago's south side (of course).

The 40,000-plus capacity stadium is the Sox's home turf, providing a state-of-the-art venue for fans to watch their favorite Chicago baseball team in action. Because of the park's vertical grandstand design, every seat offers a good view of the game, and any time a White Sox player hits a home run be ready for fireworks and giant twirling sparklers that light up the field like Fourth of July! (Chicago White Sox fans take our national pastime very seriously-when there's something to celebrate, they don't waste any time.) Although White Sox tickets are typically easier to get than seats for their north side counterpart, White Sox games still regularly sell out and the ball club is often a contender for a spot in the playoffs. The season schedule ordinarily offers six-game stints at home before heading out of town again, so south side Chicago baseball fans have plenty of opportunities to get out to the ballpark for major league talent, souvenir Sox gear, grilled hotdogs, peanuts and crackerjacks, ice cold beer-all the classics. Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field , 333 W.

35th Street (312) 674-1000 Chicago Blackhawks - Chicago Professional Hockey Team During the winter months NHL fans turn their attention to the ice to root for the city's pro hockey team-the Chicago Blackhawks. Perhaps the underdogs of Chicago sports, the Blackhawks have faced some disappointing seasons in recent years with losing records and not even a shot at making it to the playoffs. New changes to the lineup and the coaching staff may give this team the boost it needs to shake the slump, but only time will tell if these determined hockey players will get a taste of glory this year. Despite any hard times, Chicago Blackhawk fans hang in there-showing a sizeable and enthusiastic turnout for home games, which are held at the United Center (where the Chicago Bulls also play). The seats are far from selling out, but that doesn't mean there's a lack of cheering from the stands. Dedicated supporters of all ages surround the ice rink, wearing Blackhawks jerseys and caps, and shouting at the top of their lungs for the players to score. Behind the scenes, fans hope for a season that will turn things around for the Chicago Blackhawks as they dream of the day when the Stanley Cup will once again be in their possession.

But whether that time is now or ten years from now, this is one die-hard Chicago sports team that will continue to fight the good fight. Check out the schedule online and purchase single game, partial or full season ticket plans to show the Blackhawks your support. Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center , 1901 W. Madison Street (312) 455-7000 Chicago Wolves - Chicago Professional Hockey Team Chicago Wolves at the Allstate Arena , (312) -559-1212 Chicago Fire at Toyota Park . Horseracing: Origin of NFL Team Names | Quake City Origin of NFL Team Names Chicago Bears-When this team became a charter member of the American Professional Football Association (APFA) in 1920, the team was located in Decatur, IL, and was named after team sponsor, the Staley Starch Company. The team moved to Chicago in 1921 and became the Chicago Staleys. In 1922, after team founder-manager and star end George Halas purchased the team, he changed the name to the Bears.

Halas reasoned that because football players were generally bigger than baseball players, and the city’s baseball team was the Cubs, then logically the football team should be the Bears. Cincinnati Bengals-Paul Brown selected the name because there had once been a pro football team in Cincinnati named the Bengals and adopting that name “would provide a link with past professional football in Cincinnati.” Buffalo Bills-Buffalo’s team in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946 was the Bisons. In 1947 a contest was held to rename the team, which was owned by James Breuil of the Frontier Oil Company. The winning entry suggested Bills, reflecting on the famous western frontiersman, Buffalo Bill Cody. Carrying the “frontier” theme further, the winning contestant further offered that the team was being supported by Frontier Oil and was “opening a new frontier in sports in Western New York.” When Buffalo joined the new American Football League in 1960, the name of the city’s earlier pro football entry was adopted. Denver Broncos–Broncos was the winning entry in a fan contest held in 1960 by the original AFL team.

The football team, however, isn’t the first to be called the Denver Broncos. Denver’s 1921 entry in the Midwest Baseball League was also called the Broncos. Cleveland Browns-The Cleveland All-America Football Conference franchise conducted a fan contest in 1945 to name the team. The most popular submission was Browns in recognition of the team’s first coach and general manager Paul Brown, who was already a popular figure in Ohio sports. Brown at first vetoed the choice and the team selected from the contest entries the name “Panthers.” However, after an area businessman informed the team that he owned the rights to the name Cleveland Panthers, from an earlier failed football team, Brown rescinded his objection and agreed to the use of his name. Tampa Bay Buccaneers–A team advisory board reviewed 400 name possibilities and selected Buccaneers, based on a local pirate legend. Arizona Cardinals–Contrary to popular logic, the team was not named after the beautiful bird but instead because the team played in used maroon jerseys the original team (in pre-NFL years) had purchased from the University of Chicago.

When an observer scoffed that the jerseys were “faded red,” team owner Chris O’Brien countered that they weren’t “faded red,” they were “Cardinal red.” San Diego Chargers-Barron Hilton picked the Chargers name when he purchased an AFL franchise for Los Angeles. “I liked it because they were yelling ‘charge’ and sounding the bugle at Dodgers Stadium and at USC games.” Kansas City Chiefs-The AFL franchise began in 1960 as the Dallas Texans. When the team was moved to Kansas City in 1963, the new name was selected by a fan contest. Indianapolis Colts-Baltimore’s first pro football team was a member of the 1947 AAFC. A fan contest produced the Colts name reflecting the great tradition and proud history of horse breeding and racing in the Baltimore region. The original Colts disbanded after the 1950 season but the name was retained when a new Baltimore franchise began play in 1953. The Colts moved to Indianapolis in 1984.

Dallas Cowboys–In the initial months following the its formation, the Dallas team was known as the “Steers.” After a few weeks, however, the name was changed to “Rangers.” At the same time, a baseball team operated in Dallas under that name, but was scheduled to fold before the 1960 football season. However, when the baseball team decided to play one more season, Clint Murchison Jr. and Bedford Wynne, owners of the new NFL team, selected the name of Cowboys to avoid confusion. Miami Dolphins-The name was selected in a name the team contest. The bottlenose dolphin, an intelligent creature with an irresistible built-in grin, has inspired wonder for centuries. “The dolphin is one of the fastest and smartest creatures of the sea,” Joe Robbie said in announcing the team name on October 8, 1965. “Dolphins can attack and kill a shark or a whale. Sailors say bad luck will come to anyone who harms one of them.” Philadelphia Eagles–When Bert Bell established his NFL franchise in Philadel-phia in 1933, the country was struggling to recover from the Great Depression. New president Franklin D.

Roosevelt had introduced his “New Deal” program through the National Recovery Administration, which had the Eagle as its symbol. Since Bell hoped his franchise also was headed for a new deal, he picked Eagles as the team name. Atlanta Falcons-The name Falcons was suggested by Julia Elliott (1909-1990) a high school teacher from Griffin, Georgia who won a contest in 1965. Though 40 other contestants had also suggested the name, Elliott wrote in an essay, “The falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and fight. It never drops its prey. It’s deadly and has a great sporting tradition.” Among the many suggested names were the Knights, Bombers, Rebels, Crackers, Thrashers, Lancers, Firebirds, Fireballs and Thunderbirds. San Francisco 49ers-The 49ers name was adopted when San Francisco obtained an AAFC franchise in 1946. The name was selected as a recognition of the pioneering and adventurous spirit of the men of the 1849 gold rush in the Sierra Nevada mountains east of San Francisco.

New York Giants-To distinguish itself from the professional baseball team of the same name, the football team was referred to as the New York Football Giants. Although the baseball team moved to San Francisco in 1957, the football team continues to use New York Football Giants as its legal corporate name, and is often referred to as such by fans and sports-casters. The team has also gained several nicknames, including “Big Blue,” the “G-Men,” the “Big Blue Wrecking Crew,” and the “Jints,” a name seen frequently in the New York Post, originating from the baseball team when they were based in New York. Jacksonville Jaguars-The Jaguars name was selected through a fan contest. Finalists for the name included the Sharks, Stingrays and even Panthers, but Jaguars was ultimately selected on December 6, 1991. New York Jets-New York’s original AFL team was called the Titans. When Sonny Werblin took over the franchise in 1963, he changed the team name to Jets to reflect the modern approach of his team and the star-studded performances he hoped his team would produce.

Detroit Lions-In 1934, a group led by Detroit radio executive George Richards (owner of Detroit’s powerful WJR) bought the Spartans and moved them to Detroit. Richards renamed the team the Lions, as a nod to the Detroit Tigers. He also said that the lion was the monarch of the jungle, and he intended for his team to be the monarch of the NFL. Green Bay Packers-Curly Lambeau solicited funds for uniforms from his employer, the Indian Packing Company. He was given $500 for uniforms and equipment, on the condition that the team be named for its sponsor. Today Green Bay Packers is the oldest team-name still in use in the NFL. Carolina Panthers–Team owner Jerry Richardson’s son Mark is responsible for the selection of Panthers as the team name. Mark, who felt that there should be some “synergy” between the name and the team colors also suggested the team colors of black, blue and silver. New England Patriots-The new AFL team, originally located in Boston, was named the Patriots because of the area’s heritage as the birthplace of the American Revolution.

Oakland Raiders-For a brief period, the new AFL team was known as the Senors but by the time the 1960 season started, the Oakland team was known as the Raiders. The origin of the Raiders name is not known but, since it is doubtful a fan contest would have been staged in Oakland since the first team would have to play in San Francisco, it is most likely the name was chosen by principal owner Chet Soda and his partners. St. Louis Rams-The franchise was originated in Cleveland in 1936 as a member of the American Football League. In 1937 the team joined the NFL. Principal owner Homer Marshman and his general manager, Damon “Buzz” Wetzel picked the Rams name because Wetzel had said his favorite football team had always been the Fordham Rams and Marshman liked the sound of the name. Baltimore Ravens–Ravens was selected from among 3 finalists in a poll conducted by the Baltimore Sun. Baltimore fans selected the name in honor of Edgar Allan Poe, the American poet who penned his famous poem, “The Raven” while living in Baltimore. Washington Redskins–Founder George Preston Marshall named the team Boston Braves after the city’s Major League Baseball team.

However, after a financially devastating and poorly attended season in 1932, Marshall abandoned the Braves name in favor of the Redskins. When the team moved to Washington in 1937 it retained the name. New Orleans Saints-The name Saints was the popular choice in a fan contest staged by the New Orleans States-Item. However, with or without the contest, the New Orleans team would most likely have been called the Saints. The franchise was awarded on All Saints Day, November 1, 1966. New Orleans was famous worldwide as the city of jazz and the famous marching song, “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Seattle Seahawks-The name Seattle Seahawks (a seahawk is another word for an Osprey) was selected on June 17, 1975 after a public naming contest which drew more than 20,000 entries and over 1,700 different names. Pittsburgh Steelers–Originally named Pirates after the city’s major league baseball team, Owner Art Rooney Sr. changed the team name to Steelers in 1940 to more properly represent the city’s dominant steel industry.

Houston Texans-After Houston was awarded the NFL’s 32nd franchise on October 6, 1999, a series of focus groups were formed to help come up with a nickname for the team. On March 2, 2000, the team announced five choices, the Apollos, Bobcats, Stallions, Texans and Wildcatters. The list was then shaved to the Apollos, Stallions and Texans a month later. After careful deliberation, the team unveiled the Texans‘ name, colors, and logo at a rally held in downtown Houston on September 6, 2000. Tennessee Titans-After playing two seasons as the Tennessee Oilers, team owner Bud Adams formed an advisory committee to research names and a “Guess the Name” contest to gain additional feedback was also held. The committee selected Titans citing the desire to have a nickname that reflected “strength, leadership and other heroic qualities.” Minnesota Vikings–Bert Rose, the first general manager of the Minnesota team that began NFL play in 1961, selected the Vikings name because so many people in Minnesota and the surrounding area traced their heritage to Scandinavia (what is now Denmark, Norway, and Sweden).

Like this: NFL History by Decade 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 1921 At the league meeting in Akron, April 30, the championship of the 1920 season was awarded to the Akron Pros. The APFA was reorganized, with Joe Carr of the Columbus Panhandles named president and Carl Storck of Dayton secretary-treasurer. Carr moved the Association's headquarters to Columbus, drafted a league constitution and by-laws, gave teams territorial rights, restricted player movements, developed membership criteria for the franchises, and issued standings for the first time, so that the APFA would have a clear champion. The Association's membership increased to 22 teams, including the Green Bay Packers, who were awarded to John Clair of the Acme Packing Company. Thorpe moved from Canton to the Cleveland Indians, but he was hurt early in the season and played very little. A.E.

Staley turned the Decatur Staleys over to player-coach George Halas, who moved the team to Cubs Park in Chicago. Staley paid Halas $5,000 to keep the name Staleys for one more year. Halas made halfback Ed (Dutch) Sternaman his partner. Player-coach Fritz Pollard of the Akron Pros became the first black head coach. The Staleys claimed the APFA championship with a 9-1-1 record, as did Buffalo at 9-1-2. Carr ruled in favor of the Staleys, giving Halas his first championship. Harold "Red" Grange joined the Chicago Bears in 1925. 1922 After admitting the use of players who had college eligibility remaining during the 1921 season, Clair and the Green Bay management withdrew from the APFA, January 28. Curly Lambeau promised to obey league rules and then used $50 of his own money to buy back the franchise. Bad weather and low attendance plagued the Packers, and Lambeau went broke, but local merchants arranged a $2,500 loan for the club.

A public nonprofit corporation was set up to operate the team, with Lambeau as head coach and manager. The American Professional Football Association changed its name to the National Football League, June 24. The Chicago Staleys became the Chicago Bears. The NFL fielded 18 teams, including the new Oorang Indians of Marion, Ohio, an all-Indian team featuring Thorpe, Joe Guyon, and Pete Calac, and sponsored by the Oorang dog kennels. Canton, led by player-coach Guy Chamberlin and tackles Link Lyman and Wilbur (Pete) Henry, emerged as the league's first true powerhouse, going 10-0-2. 1923 For the first time, all of the franchises considered to be part of the NFL fielded teams. Thorpe played his second and final season for the Oorang Indians. Against the Bears, Thorpe fumbled, and Halas picked up the ball and returned it 98 yards for a touchdown, a record that would last until 1972. Canton had its second consecutive undefeated season, going 11-0-1 for the NFL title.

1924 The league had 18 franchises, including new ones in Kansas City, Kenosha, and Frankford, a section of Philadelphia. League champion Canton, successful on the field but not at the box office, was purchased by the owner of the Cleveland franchise, who kept the Canton franchise inactive, while using the best players for his Cleveland team, which he renamed the Bulldogs. Cleveland won the title with a 7-1-1 record. 1925 Five new franchises were admitted to the NFL-the New York Giants, who were awarded to Tim Mara and Billy Gibson for $500; the Detroit Panthers, featuring Jimmy Conzelman as owner, coach, and tailback; the Providence Steam Roller; a new Canton Bulldogs team; and the Pottsville Maroons, who had been perhaps the most successful independent pro team. The NFL established its first player limit, at 16 players. Late in the season, the NFL made its greatest coup in gaining national recognition. Shortly after the University of Illinois season ended in November, All-America halfback Harold (Red) Grange signed a contract to play with the Chicago Bears.

On Thanksgiving Day, a crowd of 36,000-the largest in pro football history-watched Grange and the Bears play the Chicago Cardinals to a scoreless tie at Wrigley Field. At the beginning of December, the Bears left on a barnstorming tour that saw them play eight games in 12 days, in St. Louis, Philadelphia, New York City, Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Chicago. A crowd of 73,000 watched the game against the Giants at the Polo Grounds, helping assure the future of the troubled NFL franchise in New York. The Bears then played nine more games in the South and West, including a game in Los Angeles, in which 75,000 fans watched them defeat the Los Angeles Tigers in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Pottsville and the Chicago Cardinals were the top contenders for the league title, with Pottsville winning a late-season meeting 21-7. Pottsville scheduled a game against a team of former Notre Dame players for Shibe Park in Philadelphia.

Frankford lodged a protest not only because the game was in Frankford's protected territory, but because it was being played the same day as a Yellow Jackets home game. Carr gave three different notices forbidding Pottsville to play the game, but Pottsville played anyway, December 12. That day, Carr fined the club, suspended it from all rights and privileges (including the right to play for the NFL championship), and re-turned its franchise to the league. The Cardinals, who ended the season with the best record in the league, were named the 1925 champions. 1926 Grange's manager, C.C. Pyle, told the Bears that Grange wouldn't play for them unless he was paid a five-figure salary and given one-third ownership of the team. The Bears refused. Pyle leased Yankee Stadium in New York City, then petitioned for an NFL franchise. After he was refused, he started the first American Football League. It lasted one season and included Grange's New York Yankees and eight other teams. The AFL champion Philadelphia Quakers played a December game against the New York Giants, seventh in the NFL, and the Giants won 31-0.

At the end of the season, the AFL folded. Halas pushed through a rule that prohibited any team from signing a player whose college class had not graduated. The NFL grew to 22 teams, including the Duluth Eskimos, who signed All-America fullback Ernie Nevers of Stanford, giving the league a gate attraction to rival Grange. The 15-member Eskimos, dubbed the Iron Men of the North, played 29 exhibition and league games, 28 on the road, and Nevers played in all but 29 minutes of them. Frankford edged the Bears for the championship, despite Halas having obtained John (Paddy) Driscoll from the Cardinals. On December 4, the Yellow Jackets scored in the final two minutes to defeat the Bears 7-6 and move ahead of them in the standings. 1927 At a special meeting in Cleveland, April 23, Carr decided to secure the NFL's future by eliminating the financially weaker teams and consolidating the quality players onto a limited number of more successful teams.

The new-look NFL dropped to 12 teams, and the center of gravity of the league left the Midwest, where the NFL had started, and began to emerge in the large cities of the East. One of the new teams was Grange's New York Yankees, but Grange suffered a knee injury and the Yankees finished in the middle of the pack. The NFL championship was won by the cross-town rival New York Giants, who posted 10 shutouts in 13 games. 1928 Grange and Nevers both retired from pro football, and Duluth disbanded, as the NFL was reduced to only 10 teams. The Providence Steam Roller of Jimmy Conzelman and Pearce Johnson won the championship, playing in the Cycledrome, a 10,000-seat oval that had been built for bicycle races. 1929 Chris O'Brien sold the Chicago Cardinals to David Jones, July 27. The NFL added a fourth official, the field judge, July 28. Grange and Nevers returned to the NFL. Nevers scored six rushing touchdowns and four extra points as the Cardinals beat Grange's Bears 40-6, November 28.

The 40 points set a record that remains the NFL's oldest. Providence became the first NFL team to host a game at night under floodlights, against the Cardinals, November 3. The Packers added back Johnny Blood (McNally), tackle Cal Hubbard, and guard Mike Michalske, and won their first NFL championship, edging the Giants, who featured quarterback Benny Friedman. 1930 Dayton, the last of the NFL's original franchises, was purchased by William B. Dwyer and John C. Depler, moved to Brooklyn, and renamed the Dodgers. The Portsmouth, Ohio, Spartans entered the league. The Packers edged the Giants for the title, but the most improved team was the Bears. Halas retired as a player and replaced himself as coach of the Bears with Ralph Jones, who refined the T-formation by introducing wide ends and a halfback in motion. Jones also introduced rookie All-America fullback-tackle Bronko Nagurski. The Giants defeated a team of former Notre Dame players coached by Knute Rockne 22-0 before 55,000 at the Polo Grounds, December 14.

The proceeds went to the New York Unemployment Fund to help those suffering because of the Great Depression, and the easy victory helped give the NFL credibility with the press and the public. Information African-Americans - Football History | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site African-Americans Charles W. Follis, Halfback, Wooster Played 1902-06 with the Shelby Athletic Club. First documented evidence of his playing for pay is for the season of 1904, although recent evidence suggests that the Shelby Athletic Club was professional as early as 1902.

Charles (Doc) Baker, Halfback, no college Played 1906-08 and 1911 for the Akron Indians Henry McDonald, Halfback, Canandaigua Academy Played 1911-17 for the Rochester Jeffersons Gideon (Charlie) Smith, Tackle, Michigan Agricultural Played one game (November 28, 1915) for the Canton Bulldogs 1920-1933 Frederick (Fritz) Pollard, Back, Brown | [HOF Bio>>>] Played 1919-1921, 1925-26 Akron, 1922 Milwaukee, 1923, 1925 Hammond, 1925 Providence Robert (Rube) Marshall, End, Minnesota Played 1919-1921 Rock Island, 1925 Duluth Paul Robeson, End, Rutgers Played 1921 Akron, 1922 Milwaukee Jay (Inky) Williams, End, Brown Played 1921 Canton, 1921-26 Hammond, 1924 Dayton, 1925 Cleveland John Shel

bourne, Back, Dartmouth Fred (Duke) Slater, Tackle, Iowa Played 1922 Milwaukee, 1922-25 Rock Island, 1926 Rock Island (AFL), 1926-1931 Chicago Cardinals James Turner, Back, Northwestern 1946 Kenny Washington, Halfback, UCLA Played with San Francisco Clippers (PCPFL) 1944-45.

Signed a contract with the Los Angeles Rams on March 21, 1946; played 1946-48 with the Rams Woody Strode, End, UCLA Signed a contract with the Los Angeles Rams May 7, 1946. Played with the Rams 1946 only. Played with Calgary Stampeders (WIFU) 1948 Bill Willis, Guard, Ohio State | [HOF Bio>>>] Signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference on August 6, 1946. Played 1946-1953 with the Browns Marion Motley, Fullback, South Carolina State; Nevada | [HOF Bio>>>] Signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference on August 9, 1946. Played 1946-1953 Cleveland Browns, 1955 Pittsburgh Steelers Firsts by African-Americans in the Modern Era (Post-World War II) First African-American drafted by an NFL club: George Taliaferro, halfback (Indiana).

Picked by the Chicago Bears in the thirteenth round of the 1949 draft but elected to sign with the Los Angeles Dons of the AAFC. Played with the Dons 1949; New York Yanks 1950-51; Dallas 1952; Baltimore 1953-54; Philadelphia 1955 First African-American draftee to play in the NFL: Wally Triplett, halfback (Penn State). Picked by the Detroit Lions in the nineteenth round of the 1949 draft. Played with Detroit 1949-1950; Chicago Cardinals 1952-53 First name star from a predominantly African-American college: Paul (Tank) Younger, fullback-linebacker (Grambling).

Los Angeles Rams 1949-1957; Pittsburgh 1958 First African-American quarterback in the NFL: Willie Thrower (Michigan State), Chicago Bears 1953 First African-American official: Burl Toler (San Francisco University), field judge/head linesman, 1965 to 1989 First African-American referree: Johnny Grier (University of D.C.), 1988 First pros from predominantly African-American schools: Ezzret Anderson, end (Kentucky State), Los Angeles Dons (AAFC), 1947; John Brown, center (North Carolina College), Los Angeles Dons (AAFC), 1947; Elmore Harris, halfback (Morgan State), Brooklyn, 1947 First African-American lineman to win all-league honors: AAFC-Bill Willis, guard (Ohio State), Cleveland, 1946; NFL-Bill Willis, guard, Cleveland, 1950 First African-American back to win all-league honors: AAFC-Marion Motley, fullback (South Carolina State; Nevada), Cleveland, 1946; NFL-Marion Motley, fullback, Cleveland, 1

950 First African-American to win individual league statistical championship: AAFC-Marion Motley, fullback.

Cleveland, 1946 (rushing); NFL-Marion Motley, fullback, Cleveland, 1950 (rushing) First African-American elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame: Emlen Tunnell, defensive back (Iowa), New York Giants 1949-1958, Green Bay 1959-1961: elected 1967 First African-American starting quarterback in a Super Bowl: Doug Williams, Washington Redskins, Super Bowl XXII (following the 1987 season) First African-American general manager: Ozzie Newsome, Baltimore Ravens, 2002 First African-American referree in a Super Bowl: Mike Carey, Super Bowl XLII Coaching Firsts by African-Americans

Question: What is the name of Chicago's American Football team?
Answer: 'Bear'